NYACP Wins Evergreen Award
At the 2008 Internal Medicine Meeting, ACP presented Evergreen Awards to 15 chapters. The Evergreen Program provides recognition and visibility to those chapters that have been successful in implementing programs that increase membership, improve communication, increase member involvement, enhance diversity, foster careers in internal medicine, and improve management of the chapter. 

The New York Chapter was recognized for its advocacy efforts and collaboration on activities to promote primary care medicine with the Primary Care Coalition.

The Primary Care Coalition
Concerned over the sustaining losses of new Internists choosing to enter General Internal Medicine practices and based upon the beliefs that increasing access to primary care will enable New York State’s health care system to contain spiraling health care costs, decrease the incidence of chronic illness, and equalize the health care playing field by decreasing disparities in health and health status experienced by the state’s diverse communities; the NYACP joined a Primary Care Coalition to share resources and collaborate on activities to promote primary care medicine. A five point agenda was created to define objectives, create a strategy, achieve high quality care, and measure outcomes to raise awareness of the impending shortage in Internal Medicine in New York State and seek ways to change the system to create new incentives.

The Impact
Members are more informed of the impending primary care shortage and of the immediate need to find resolution, and of the Chapter’s intense effort and commitment to strengthen and promote Internal Medicine for the future. The Primary Care Coalition has enabled NYACP to build strong partnerships with other organizations and plans on continuing to work with other partners including the NYS Department of Health, the NYS Governor, the legislature, employers and payors, on developing the implementation plan and reforming payment methodologies to support the patient-centered medical home model of care.

The relationships that have been developed and continue to expand have enhanced the communication of NYACP’s mission to new audiences and has resulted in the Chapter’s message around the future of Internal Medicine and the PC-MH having greater reach and significant external support. Numerous meetings with policy makers have occurred, and the Governor and New York State Health Commission are now publicly citing the benefits of and need for the PC-MH. 


Why It's Been Successful
The success of the Primary Care Coalition’s activities can be attributed to several factors including the extensive media campaign that is managed through a New York City consultant firm, the delivery of testimony at pivotal hearings in New York State, the release of white papers and reports, and the continued dedication towards advocating for high quality patient care, reduced costs, and increased reimbursement for coordination of care. The broad scope of these activities could not have been undertaken by the NYACP alone, but with shared resources and a commitment to collaborations, significant accomplishments were achieved.
www.nyprimarycarehome.org

Last Updated: 01.05.09